In this follow-up to his Never Shower in a Thunderstorm, New York Times columnist Anahad O'Connor uncovers the truth behind a hundred more old wives' tales and conventional-wisdom cures. He investigates nagging questions of domestic safety—for instance, whether you can get radiation poisoning from standing too close to a microwave oven (it turns out you'll actually be exposed to more watts from your cell phone). He unearths astounding first-aid improvisations, including attempts by battlefield medics to seal wounds with super glue (it works, but can irritate skin). And he looks into the claim that elephants and other animals can predict earthquakes (surprisingly, the statistics back this one up).

"[The book] amuses and enlightens.... Wondering about the possible health risks of nose-blowing? Whether diving into a pool of water will save you from a bee attack? ... O'Connor has answers."—Booklist